Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-04-11


HOW TIE BREAK OCCURRED.
When the residents OF large areas OF the city
rose yesterday morning they were astonished to
ma tnat the1r water supply was cut OF. On Capt.
tOl Hill and some OF the higher levels In the north
and northwest sections great discomfort was oc-
casioned. In some localities during the day the
uscomlort became distress as no provision had
Deen mace Tor such an emergency, and the over
worked street pumps were soon exhausted. The
cause OF this Inconvenience was O break in the
large 36-inch main, which runs through L street
and supplies water to portion of the northwest
section, to Capitol HILL and other high portions OF
the city.
FINDING THE LEAK
The first 1ntimatIOn OF the break was the discoy.
cry, Saturday afternoon, that water was oozing
from around the trees on L street, between 21st
ana 22d streets. Capt. Symons OF the District
engineer department, who has charge OF the water
service, service, was Immediately notified, and a large
iOrce OF men were set to work hunting for the
leak. After many hours OF labor the break was
olscoVered 10 De In the main on l. 21st street.
and early yesterday morning the water was cut
on from this main while repairs were being made
Ihere was consequently no water all day yester-
aay In the parts OF the city supplied by the main.
AS aprecautiOn In case OF fire. Capt SymOns filled
the large stand-pipe on 10th street before turning
on the water in the main.
THE MAIN
In wh1ch.the leak occurred was laid about fifteen
years ago, and it has been the cause OF consdera-
BILE annoyance. The main where the break was
found Is laid on brick PIERS in made ground and
Capt. Symons states that the break was caused by
the settling OF the joint and the consequent s.sag.
gingn OF the pipe. which resulted in the cracking
CARRYING WATER FROM THE PUMPS.
There were many amusing scenes in the ''dry"
parts OF the city yesterday. Many thrifty c6lored
men enlisted for the time-being as water-carriers
ana thus turned an honest penny or two. Boys
provided with tin buckets, pals and pitchers.
the house, II she wanted some water brought
AT WORK ON THE MAIN
There was busy crowd OF wOrkingmen at the
scene OF the break on L street to-day A large ex.
cavation had been dug, exposing the big main for
distance OF thirty or forty feet. The break was
surface OF one of the huge sections OF pipe. about
half an inch in width, and extending spirally 8
distance OF four or i've feet
JACKETS FOR THE BROKEN PIPE.
Capt. Symons had on hand ready to be placed on
the injured section Of pipe plates Of halr-inch
sheet-r0n, rolled so as to f1t over the pipe This
jacket, he said, was similar to the one placed
around the big main that broke above West WASH
1ngton about year ago. First q thick sheet OF
iron jacket is put on and this strong wrought
iron rings or clamps are bolted on.
WATER TONIGHT OR TOMORROW MORNING.
Capt SymOnS said at noon to-day that he hOped
to have the work completed so the water could be
turned In at O'Clock tonight In case of any de-
lays or difficulties he thought that there was no
tomorrow morning at the latest. He said he re-
gretted that the water had to be turned on with
out notice to the PUBLIC, but the emergency was
such that any delay would have probably proved
disastrous, and the water might have been cut
OF for week or more. When it was
SUNDAY mosnns e cut o the water he had tee
phoned to the sunday newspaper offices to have
notice given, so that the people could at least
then to have the notice published. The water in
the large main was cut OF at the valve located in
West Washington, near the aqueduct Office. When
workmen had cut away the concrete pavement
and removed some OF the earth, the water rose to
the surface in great volume and poGfeu along
the street in torrent. capt. SymOnS says that II
the water had not been cut on quickly as It was
the main would probably have been DESTROYED
for considerable distance. and long time would
have been required to repair the damage. This
main, he said, was laid by contract, and during
the ifteen years since II was laid there had been
there had been no trouble at all with the 80 inch
main laid by days work.
THE LsTRRET MAIN.
The 36-lnch main Is the largest in the CITY, eX-
cepting the 4S-inch main recently laid from the
new reservoir. When it was laid along L street,
in the neighborhood Of the break, that street had
not been filled up to its present level and the main
was above ground supported on brick piers Il feet
high. The heat had the effect or expanding and
bending the pipes SO that it became necessary to
insert wooden blocks or wedges between the top
Of the brick piers and the pipes Since
the -. street has been filed up to
grade, the main lies about feet under ground.
The wooden blocks beneath the pipes have rOtted
and the strain on the pipes IL Is believed caused
the present break. When the men began digging
yesterday morning, they found that the made
ground underneath and around the main was
loose and much OF it had been washed away.
IN CASE OF FIRE.
CaptSymonS said to-day that in case of serious
fire while the main was closed water could be
forced to any section OF the city now unsupplied
through the other mains, but in order to do that
the supply in all other sections OF the city would
have to be cut of for a time. This operation
would, however, require considerable time
The placing OF the jacket on the broken main
to-day may be in the nature only OF a temporary
repair, as it may be found necessary to replace
the broken section of pipe with q new section. In
such case ample notice will be given and resi-
dents VIII have an opportunity TO provide them
selves with water before 1t is cut OF again.
NENDING THE PUMPS.
The Water Department to-day sent out men to
repair pumps that were put out OF order by con-
slant use yesterday.
NO wHIsKY-No wATER-NO SIDE DOOR.